How does one create a locationless zone?

[+froldt]

Other than use a map or address, I don't see a way to create a zone that doesn't require a location. I'm sure I am missing something, but don't know what...

 

I want to create a maze that can be played on any football field-sized area. I plan to create a series of zones where each has a series of options, which way to go. Depending on the option chosen, the program sends you to the next "turning point" in the maze.

 

To do this, it seems to me that I will have to create zones that are relational to each other based on the beginning point. Hmm... I guess I would actually require two points, one to begin with, and one to orient the field in the correct direction.

 

Well, still (as I talk myself through this process), I am curious how to create more than one locationless zone.

Edited January 5, 2008 by froldt

[Jeremy]

One way to do this is to create the zones in a fixed position, and reposition the zone points through scripting as part of your cartridge. For example, in the tutorial we build zones on the fly to accommodate playing it anywhere.

 

As we get past CES we'll try and provide some tutorials on how to do some of these advanced functions, or at least expose the Lua code if you want to do it outside the Builder application.

[Jeremy]

Froldt,

 

If you just want to pick through the code, here's a link for the tutorial's Lua. Some disclaimers apply - It won't, for example, open in the Builder *and* this can't be considered a best practice for building cartridges. Make sure to look at the user functions at the bottom for creating zones on the fly. You'll also need to include the math libraries to do any math functions in your cartridge.

 

It makes sense to create a zone in the builder first along with any actions related to it instead of the way outlined in the code provided. That way you can do most of the game logic within the builder and have your own author created functions to move the zone from the original location to where you want it. As long as you keep the zones inactive the Wherigo Engine won't process them.

 

I hope this helps in the interim. We'd love to see what you and other developers can do with the platform!

[+ChileHead]

As this is getting rolled out I would expect a large percentage of developers would want to develop locationless carts, in order to get the largest audience.

 

For an adventure type game, location doesn't necessarily matter as much as a tour (depending on lots of factors.)

 

Ideally developing these locationless would be as easy as devekoping one with real zones, and just clicking a checkbox that says this is locationless.

 

On the locationless note - I'd like to be able to write something that require one to ascend to a certain altitude above the starting point. I don't suppose there is any way of doing that?

[+GeoGern]

On the locationless note - I'd like to be able to write something that require one to ascend to a certain altitude above the starting point. I don't suppose there is any way of doing that?

 

There are no "triggers" (or events, as we call them in the Wherigo terminology) for altitude, so it will be a bit more difficult to make something automatically happen once a user has passed a certain altitude. But, the user's actual altitude _is_ available for you to query. The Player object has an 'ObjectLocation' property that contains the user's current lat, lon, and alt.

 

For example:

curAltitude = Player.ObjectLocation.altitude:GetValue("ft")

This will set the variable 'curAltitude' to the user's current altitude (in feet).

 

-peter

[Jeremy]

On the locationless note - I'd like to be able to write something that require one to ascend to a certain altitude above the starting point. I don't suppose there is any way of doing that?

 

There are no "triggers" (or events, as we call them in the Wherigo terminology) for altitude, so it will be a bit more difficult to make something automatically happen once a user has passed a certain altitude. But, the user's actual altitude _is_ available for you to query. The Player object has an 'ObjectLocation' property that contains the user's current lat, lon, and alt.

 

For example:

curAltitude = Player.ObjectLocation.altitude:GetValue("ft")

This will set the variable 'curAltitude' to the user's current altitude (in feet).

 

-peter

 

You can set a timer to periodically check the altitude of the user. In the tutorial we have a timer that checks to see when the user reaches a distance far enough from the first zone before showing the alien outcropping.

 

Oops. The first sentence is correct. The second sentence *could* be true but isn't in the case of the Tutorial.

Edited January 10, 2008 by Jeremy

[+trenkle]

Froldt,

 

If you just want to pick through the code, here's a link for the tutorial's Lua. Some disclaimers apply - It won't, for example, open in the Builder *and* this can't be considered a best practice for building cartridges. Make sure to look at the user functions at the bottom for creating zones on the fly. You'll also need to include the math libraries to do any math functions in your cartridge.

 

 

So if the code doesn't open in the Builder, how do we publish the cartridge to our machine\device? Is that what the "Compile Cartridge" item in the Tools menu is for?

[+davidloew]

Froldt,

 

If you just want to pick through the code, here's a link for the tutorial's Lua. Some disclaimers apply - It won't, for example, open in the Builder *and* this can't be considered a best practice for building cartridges. Make sure to look at the user functions at the bottom for creating zones on the fly. You'll also need to include the math libraries to do any math functions in your cartridge.

 

 

So if the code doesn't open in the Builder, how do we publish the cartridge to our machine\device? Is that what the "Compile Cartridge" item in the Tools menu is for?

It is. You don't need to open a cart to compile it. Same with the emulator.

 

david

[+trenkle]

 

It is. You don't need to open a cart to compile it. Same with the emulator.

 

david

 

David,

 

I've managed to do outside editing of my lua file and compile it to my device. Once tested, how do a publish to the website? (the option to publish is disabled in the Builder unless I can open the lua file...something my edited lua file no longer allows!). I assume I need to create a GWZ on my own? What all goes in that file?

 

-trenkle

[+davidloew]

 

It is. You don't need to open a cart to compile it. Same with the emulator.

 

david

 

David,

 

I've managed to do outside editing of my lua file and compile it to my device. Once tested, how do a publish to the website? (the option to publish is disabled in the Builder unless I can open the lua file...something my edited lua file no longer allows!). I assume I need to create a GWZ on my own? What all goes in that file?

 

-trenkle

 

You can do this via the web site from Wherigo Home > Cartridges > Upload a Cartridge

Here, you can submit a gwz file which is just a zip file containing your lua file and the graphics files. You can get to this page after logging in. We require logging in so that this submitted cart will be stored in your author account.

 

David.

[Jeremy]

 

It is. You don't need to open a cart to compile it. Same with the emulator.

 

david

 

David,

 

I've managed to do outside editing of my lua file and compile it to my device. Once tested, how do a publish to the website? (the option to publish is disabled in the Builder unless I can open the lua file...something my edited lua file no longer allows!). I assume I need to create a GWZ on my own? What all goes in that file?

 

-trenkle

 

You can do this via the web site from Wherigo Home > Cartridges > Upload a Cartridge

Here, you can submit a gwz file which is just a zip file containing your lua file and the graphics files. You can get to this page after logging in. We require logging in so that this submitted cart will be stored in your author account.

 

David.

 

I will follow up that you actually don't have to rename your zip file before uploading it. It will try to unzip it regardless of whatever extension you give it.